Wolseley History

History

This is the history of the brand Wolseley since the establishment of the company and up to the most modern of vehicles produced under this brand.

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Wolseley

Herbert Austin, founder of Wolseley at the beginning of his career working as a technician at the Australian firm Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company, which published clipper sheep.

Became the director of the British subsidiary of Wolseley, in 1895 he took up the creation of three-wheeled crew - copy Leon Bollee French car with a single-cylinder engine capacity of 1.3 liters. In late 1896, a new three-wheeled vehicle, designated Wolseley Number 1.

In March 1900 the company Vickers takes office Wolseley car manufacturing, retaining Austin seat on the board of directors. The first production models of the firm Wolseley steel grade 5 HP and 10NR, equipped with unified one and two-cylinder engines, the horizontal position.

Machines are distinguished by the shape and size of bodies. And on the mark Wolseley-5 HP used the new ignition coil, carburetor float and the chopper developed by Austin. This lightweight and compact car had a good demand, although buyers are rightly criticized for its primitiveness transmission with chain drive to the rear wheels.

In 1905, the company's director was John Davenport Siddeley, who owned a small automotive company engaged in the import and French car Peugeot. It is proposed to replace the outdated models of engines for its own engines Siddeley with vertical cylinders. Herbert Austin could not agree with this and left the Wolseley, founded soon own automobile company.

New cars produced under the brand name Wolseley-Siddeley until 1910. The product range includes models with 2, 4 and 6-cylinder engines (ranging from a compact 2-cylinder 1.6-liter engine for the model 8HP and ending with a powerful 4-cylinder unit displacement of 15.7 liters).

The most popular model in 1911 was Wolseley-16/20NR and Stellite, with a 3-liter 4-cylinder engine and a wooden frame. In 1912 by Russian inventor Peter Shilovsky produced unusual hansom Gyrocar with gyroscopic stabilizer., But the project was canceled due to the complexity of production. During the First World War Wolseley under license manufactured aircraft engines Hispano-Suiza V8.

In 1918, Wolseley with Ishikawajiama Ship Building and Engineering organizes the company in Tokyo, Japan. The first car produced by the Japanese Wolseley was released in 1922. After the Second World War in 1949, the Japanese company reorganized and changed its name to Isuzu Motors. At present photo car 1932 Wolseley Hornet Specialden, Isuzu is part of General Motors. The first post-war development was the brand 10NR with a 4-cylinder engine in 1260 cc, replacing Stellite, and its modification by shortly before the war, equipped with motors displacement of 3,1-6,9 liters.

In 1921, he appeared 15NR brand, which has 2.6-liter engine equipped with an overhead camshaft.

In 1925, the brand 10NR Wolseley-11/22NR gives way to the car, and the more expensive 15NR Wolseley-16/35NR replaced by the same engine, but with the side flaps. Two years later, there Wolseley-16/45NR model with a 6-cylinder engine with an overhead camshaft.

In 1927, the company went bankrupt Wolseley and its acquired firm Morris. Soon Wolseley engines with overhead camshaft appeared on cars Morris and MG. In this case, under the brand name Wolseley produced more comfortable cars.

The first of them in 1928 were Wolseley-12/32NR with 4-cylinder 1.5-liter engine and Wolseley-21/60NR with an 8-cylinder engine in a 2681 cc.

In 1929, the brand appeared Wolseley-21/60NR with a 6-cylinder power unit, which was the predecessor of the famous Morris Isis. At the same time production started another brand 32/80NR with an 8-cylinder engine displacement of 4022 cc, but shortly after she was expelled from the program.

In 1930 he introduced a lightweight sports Wolseley Hornet, created on the chassis of the popular subcompact while Morris Minor. To install a new 6-cylinder engine displacement of 1271 cc overhead camshaft. Frame side members had lengthened by 32 cm, strengthened suspension and brakes for the first time equipped with hydraulic drive.
Motor Hornet became the basis for all 6-cylinder engines Wolseley with such a mechanism and timing photo Wolseley car 4/44primenyalsya on sports cars MG Magna.

In the first year of a two-seater Hornet sold roadster body, but in 1931 there mark with closed body for which again have been lengthened and strengthened frame and chassis. This allowed to increase the size of the cabin, and the replacement of the pole to allow the motor to move it forward slightly. In this case, the vertical shaft of the generator replaced the chain, takes up less space.
In 1931, the brand appeared Viper with a 6-cylinder engine in the 2025 cc ..

In April 1932 there was a special version of the Special sports a streamlined body for racing. Its engine is equipped with two carburetors, and the final drive gear ratio had increased. In accordance with the fashion of that time had a low hood sloping side slits, and the front of the radiator and headlights was attached a thin chromed protective netting. In 1935-1936 Special variant was produced with an engine displacement of 1604 cc.

In 1936, more expensive engines with overhead camshaft had to be replaced by OHV engines with the lower shaft. The machines of the new generation include representatives Super Six series with engines in 1818 and 2322 cc. The most powerful car Wolseley-18NR with a 3-liter engine was a success at the Metropolitan Police.

Photo Wolseley Car 18/85V 1939 the program included five brands with a 6-cylinder engines with displacements of up to 3485 cc in 2062. A year before the outbreak of the Second World War, the firm Morris and Wolseley were a part of Nuffield, whose members also include MG and Riley.

At the end of the war Wolseley has continued to produce the pre-war model. In 1946, the brand has become a novelty Wolseley-8HP, which differed from the old Morris-E Series only 8HP OHV engine.

In 1949, the plant equipment Wolseley moved from Birmingham to the premises of the company in the city of Morris Cowley. The manufactured there cars were almost identical with the machines Morris and differed only in details and the level of equipment.

Issued in 1948, the brand Wolseley-4/50 and 6/80 was similar to vehicles and Morris Oxford Six with 4 and 6-cylinder engines that took the upper camshafts.
In 1952 a group of Nuffield merged with Austin, formed a concern British Motor Corporation, (BMC). Since then, all models Wolseley became only more comfortable and powerful renditions of cars of other brands of the group.

In 1952 he appeared for the first time Wolseley-4/44 sedan shown at the London Motor Show in 1952. The rounded shape of the body resembled MG Magnette Series Z, engine - engine derated version of the sport MG TD. He developed the power of 46 hp, 8 hp less than MG. Curb weight sedan Wolseley was about 1180 kg, and the maximum speed was 16 km / h in less than sports cars MG TD.

The development of the brand 4/44 in 1955, has become more powerful car Wolseley-6/90 with a 6-cylinder engine in a 2639 cc. These durable, roomy and fairly fast cars served in the British police. They had a chassis Riley Pathfinder and were equipped with 2.6-liter Austin.

Launched in 1958, the car Wolseley-1500 is slightly increased in size Morris Minor. The legendary Morris Mini was produced in 1961 as a Wolseley Hornet. In contrast to its original three-volume saloon and equipped more glamorous front fascia. In the 60 years under the brand name Wolseley offered more comfortable versions of the standard small-displacement machines Navy Series "1100" and "1300."

Since 1967, the brand also released Wolseley-18/85 of standard 1800 series. In 1972, there Swiftkomfortabelny Wolseley Wolseley-front-drive sedan 2200 of 2200 series.

In 1975, the program Wolseley reduced to a minimum. Abbreviation Wolseley ceased to exist after the name of the car Wolseley-1300 changed to Princess.
To date stamp Wolseley owned Nanjing Automobile Group, which is part of MG Rover Group. It is noteworthy that the company Wolseley shearing continues to exist, and is called the Wolseley plc.